Council race: Fourth potential candidate pulls nomination papers
August 04, 2010
By Peggy Kelly
Santa Paula City Council
Inspired by Santa Paula’s level of volunteerism, a fourth potential candidate has pulled City Council nomination paperwork and joins two incumbents and another political newcomer seeking office.
According to Deputy City Clerk Peggy Higgins, incumbent Councilmen Ralph Fernandez and Bob Gonzales have picked up council nomination papers, as has Duane Ashby, a member of the city’s Economic Development Committee. Last week Rita Stafford also pulled nomination papers.
Fernandez and Gonzales are at the end of their first terms. Dr. Gabino Aguirre, who earlier said he was weighing whether or not to seek a third council term, still has not pulled nomination papers.
The deadline to return nomination paperwork to City Hall is Friday, August 6 at 5 p.m. If an incumbent fails to file, the deadline will be extended by five days.
Stafford said she was inspired to run after reading about Santa Paulans taking part in volunteer beautification efforts. A languages and ESL instructor at Los Angeles City College and for the USC Masters Program, Stafford and her husband Fred purchased a long abandoned home in the Oaks area and embarked on an ambitious rehabilitation before moving to Santa Paula from Los Angeles.
The couple had looked throughout California and outside the state for a new residence, when “We realized the place we wanted to be was Santa Paula. We feel so fortunate we found this home,” in the same area where relatives live.
Although new to vying for elected office, Stafford did spearhead an effort through the office of her then Los Angeles Councilman Eric Garcetti to spruce up her own neighborhood, an effort that blossomed. Stafford said the area was a “large and strange neighborhood” of mixed residential dwellings, including her own home that had been well maintained for generations.
But the area needed improving: “A lot of people who lived there were frustrated,” and Stafford organized her own street to implement beautification efforts. “Before I knew it we had a huge neighborhood association,” as block after block joined the effort that resulted in cleaning and improving the entire area.
“I got the bug to do whatever good can be done... I’m not unique in that way,” as, noted Stafford, “we all want to do that.” She thought about running for office in Los Angeles, but “It’s so big; the scale here feels more human... there is so remote.”
Running for office is not a political ambition: “I feel completely humble about the whole thing, I have no ax to grind. I want to help, contribute” to the betterment of the city.
“I do believe things - the environment, beautification, education, public safety - those kinds of things that bring communities together should have dialogues.” And, noted Stafford, those dialogues must be followed by action, “not feel defeated before we’ve even tried” to find solutions and implement improvements.
Those who pull the paperwork must get the signatures of at least 20 registered voters who reside in Santa Paula before they return the document to City Hall. Most potential candidates gather more to ensure the signatures will pass the scrutiny of the Ventura County Elections Division, which verifies the signers.
When nomination papers are returned to City Hall and the candidate wishes to secure a place for their 200-word or less campaign statement on the county issued sample ballot/candidate statement publication issued closer to the election, a $600 deposit will be required. For more information, call Deputy City Clerk Peggy Higgins at 933-4208.
